• GILBERT P. BAYORAN
The Negros Island Region (NIR) bill is up for transmittal to Malacañang next month, for signing into law by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., disclosed Negros Occidental 6th District Rep. Mercedes Alvarez on Saturday.
Alvarez, who is a member of the NIR Technical Working Group, said that there is no need for the bill to pass through the bicameral committee, since the House of Representatives adopted the NIR version of the Senate.
The establishment of NIR, which has been approved by both the House of Representative and Senate, is among the 42 priority legislative measures identified by the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council, which is chaired by the President.
During the last LEDAC meeting, Alvarez said there was no opposition to the approval of the NIR bill by Congress.
The proposed new region in Visayas will be composed of the provinces of Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental and Siquijor.
Senate President Juan Miguel Zubiri earlier revealed that the establishment of NIR 99 is percent done, as it is sure to get the signature of PBBM, as part of his administration’s priority measures.
“But I am very confident that it will be signed into law soon, and we in the Senate are prepared to push for its proper funding for 2025,” Zubiri said in a statement.
As stipulated in the Senate version, which was adopted by the Lower House, Alvarez said that the regional offices to be established in Negros Occidental are mostly on sectors of agriculture, security and finance.
Asked if it will be signed into law by President Marcos Jr. before his State of the Nation Address in July, Alvarez replied “I am very optimistic.”*
